London: Tea Time in Wonderland

How about trying a different atmosphere? Yes? Then book an appointment with Evans & Peel, a mysterious bar – London has a skill for those. You will need to discuss your case with a private detective, intrigue him before he opens the secret passage, behind the bookcase and lets you in. Behind? An old fashioned speakeasy and cocktails to die for…Cheers!
1. Celebrate these few days of freedom with a glass of bubbly. Ruinart has just opened the most magical pop-up at The Langham.

2. Are you a whisky connaisseur? The stop at Spitafields and try the Nikka pop-up, a superb Japanese brand, one of my favourites.

3. Hampton Court Palace Greenwelcomes a real feast with the Foodies Festival. On the menu, a cake and bake theatre, a BBQ arena, a gourmet market, pop-up restaurants like Jamie’s Italian, Randall & Aubin, Patcharee, Masala Zone…

4. Still in Hampton Court, join The Big Picnic – live music, theatre, kids’ activities, Pimm’s and champagne bar.

5. A must see: the Chelsea Flower Show celebrates its 100th anniversary. And finally allows garden gnomes to step back in… A few pictures here.

6. And to make the most of it, Crabtree & Evelyn transform Covent Garden in the cutest herb garden.

7. The Supreme Court will open its doors to the public on Saturday -  go and have a glimpse!

8. Fancy something exotic but don’t have the budget to travel? Try some Egyptian street food instead.

9. Incredible. Bombas & Parr have turned Kew Gardens’ boating lake into a giant fruit salad. With a pineapple island in the centre.

10. Watch Grease, Purple Rain, Dirty dancing at The Book Club and sing along. Yes you can. You should. As loud and enthusiastically as possible!

11. Go on. Dine with a view.

12. Go and say hi to your favourite super-heros at the Comic Con.

13. Enjoy a peaceful moment on Trafalgar Square on Mondy with a free symphonic concert.

14. Black and white with optical illusion – a gorgeous art show by Kai & Sunny at the Royal Festival Hall

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Aperitif time at Camber Sands. Sunshine on bare shoulders, a straw hat, sunglasses, feeling alive. Walking through the dunes, finding the perfect spot, beautiful palette of pastel colours. And to celebrate this moment of freedom, a glass of Balblair. A highland single whisky with a difference. It prefers the alchemy of a perfect vintage year than a 15, 20… years statement. Waiting for the perfect balance, an exquisite art. The 89 is amber coloured with dried fruit notes, honey, caramel, spices, a long finish. 2002 is more golden, vanilla, citrus peels, zesty, such a presence, such a strength. Silence all around. All is said in a smile and twinkling eyes.

Balblair whisky – vintages timed to perfection

I discovered the Foodies Festival in Brighton, It will be travelling around England all summer. So many treats to try, so many mouthwatering aromas that all senses all awakened. And so you walk around with always a plate in your hand. Or a glass. with a formidable appetite.

On May 25, 26 and 27, it will stop at Hampton Court Palace, for an extraordinary feast. Cake and bake theatre… BBQ arena… Restaurant pop-ups Jamie’s Italian, Randall & Aubin, Patcharee, Masala Zone… So many discoveries to make! And we have 3 pairs of tickets for you to win.

Leave us a message below and follow us on Facebook or Twitter. The lucky winners will be selected at random on Monday May 20. Click and take a chance!

Museums at night is a fantastic opportunity to discover galleries with a twist. Such a different atmosphere after dusk. On Friday, you could, for example, dig into the archeology archives of the Museum of London. ou sleep over at Hampton Court. On Saturday, you could learn about British seafood (pop-up restaurant included) or walk through Apsley House with Georgian music on… Lots more ideas this way!
1. Take some height and try those rooftop bars.

2. Art becomes edible with Kitchen Party Pop Up.

3. Street art gets baroque in Dulwich with a fascinating festival.

4. Jump into the 1920ies at Whiteleys: beauty boudoir, make-up and swing lessons, catwalk…

5. Take the kids on a new adventure: an architecture festival for children with lots of workshops around London.

6. Yes, it is that time of the year again. Eurovision is back, this Saturday. Make it double fun and watch it in one of those bars rather than at home.

7. Have a look at Eine’s latest mural in Shoreditch. Perfect for photoshoots!

8. Between barbershop and speakeasy, the pop-up Pankhurst shop on Carnaby really is fantastically stylish.

9. Sip gorgeous natural wines at the RAW fair.

10. It’s all about poems at The Book Club this Sunday.

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Some days, you come back from work and you only want one thing: crash on the sofa, put your favourite soap with a comforting dinner and a glass of wine. Yes, of course, you do know that in 10mn you could put make something healthy, but you are drained, you simply don’t want to. Neither do you want to wait 30mn for take-away food to be delivered. You want something nice, not junk food, and you really, really would like it now.

Frozen dishes but quality ones and homemade -  no industrial chain here. Even the name of the chef who prepared your meal will be on the packaging. And, ah, it is lways so nice to read a label stating spices and herbs in its ingredients rather than a long list of complex, chemical words for colouring. It is extra easy. You order online and wow, the choice is simply incredible: casseroles, pies, British,  Indian, lasagna, gluten free, family size, children and baby dishes… All the options are covered! The parcel arrives superbly isolated and the material is reusable too.

Intrigued, we tried the Asian range. 5 mn in the microwave and the aroma already makes your mouth water. The sauces are silky, not watery like too often with supermarket buys. Tender bites of duck in a red Thai sauce. Malaysian curry with gorgeous tiger prawns… Szechuan chicken with chilli and ginger… Coconut and lime leaf rice… Refined but so tasty. Homemade? Not sure I would have made it that good to be  honest. Zero effort, 100% satisfaction, what’s not to like?

Did I mention you can order a week box of meals, mmh? Just saying. It is also the ideal gift for a new mum, a friend needing a break…

COOK

Avec les beaux jours viennent les projets de vacances. Quelles aventures offrir aux enfants? Pas toujours facile en effet d’allier vacances et famille, et pourtant on aimerait tellement leur amener des souvenirs mémorables. Et pourquoi pas un summer camp comme ceux de Camp Beaumont? Justement, les camps d’été que proposent Camp Beaumont comptent 7 camps en résidence britannique, ouverts aux enfants de 7 à 17 ans. Quelques jours, une semaine, plusieurs semaines, à vous de moduler selon vos préférence.  Qu’y fait-on? Tout dépend du site. Au Pays de Galles, on peut défier les hauteurs vertigineuses sur l’échelle de Jacob et la balançoire 3G, fendre les airs avec la tyrolienne géante ou explorer les profondeurs souterraines dans des grottes spécialement aménagées, voire même explorer le monde à dos de cheval. Dans le Kent, Dans le Kent, on trouve une immense piscine couverte, des parcours accrobranches, une salle de cinéma Blue Ray. Une multitudes d’expériences à découvrir, bien plus que l’on n’aurait pu en proposer en tant que parents.  Le tout combiné à l’anglais bien sûr, pour apprendre en s’amusant!

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With the Great Gatsby movie, fashion goes back to the roaring 20ies. There even is a list of the best places recreating that atmosphere, just here. And until May 20, you can find a secret pop-up room at Harrods, hidden in the wine shop, serving classic cocktails of that era. Leather armchair, gramophone, gentleman’s club feeling and Floradora, Brandy Crusta, Spiced  Honey Sour, Elite Martini… What else? Well, Brooke Brothers has designed a beautiful range of clothes inspired by the film and are also presenting 10 suits used on stage by Leo, Carey… Or why not go for a Charleston course at the Claridge’s?

1- Visit the Brixton windmill this Saturday. If there is a lovely breeze, the pannels will be turning too.

2 -  Yummy -  a new Swedish Bakery will delight you with its succulent buns in Haggerston.

3 – Take the kids to see this St Pancras construction, all out of Lego.

4 – The puppet festival is back at Covent garden this Sunday. It’s free, colourful and always so cheerful.

5 – Go crazy at the Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair, always a wonderful place to find the perfect, unique accessory.

6 – You can count on Trafalgar Square to always be a source of surprise. This week-end it welcomes a basketball festival, no less!

7 – Add sparkles and sexiness: it’s also Burlesque week.

8 – Discover Soundtracks – a brilliant, brilliant idea putting concerts on train. London Transport is now one of the trendiest place!

9 -  Looking for the perfect picnic place, far from the tourists? Try the so poetic Sydenham Wells Park.

10 -  Quebec lovers will rush to the P’tite Poutine at the Broadway Market. Finger licking good!

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Walking through Shoreditch, collecting street art like pop-up flowers in this urban jungle…

3 days of freedom… How about escaping the city for once? Go down to Brighton, which will be extra cheerful as the Fringe festival is kicking off and will last the whole month. So many artistic animation, free ideas to try, family shows, great guided tours to get a different view of the city… Even La Clique will be there! And of course, the city is always so bubbly, so funky coloured. By the way, do make a detour via Metro Deco, a tea shop inspired by 1930 Parisian style… Staying in London? Scroll down to find 10 fab ideas to try there.

1. Indulge in a cinnamon bun at this Swedish bakery.

2. Enter a new dimension with the sci-fi festival.

3. Have a look at this pop-up shop on Monmouth with its amazing rock archive pictures and even a whole collection of David Bowie ones.

4. Discover Paul Catherall’s beautiful vision of London at the OXO Tower.

5. Have a look at the 130 canal boats meeting this week-end at Little Venice for the Canalway Cavalcade. On Sunday at 21.00 they will be all lit up and that should be quite a view.

6. Chilly Gonzales plays at the Cadogan Hall this Saturday. A real genius with a fantastic touch of craziness and a lot of laughter too. Unforgettable.

7. Urban cyclist, ride to Spin London, this bike show at the Truman Brewery dedicated to you.

8. Raymond Blanc and Paul A. Young will do cooking demon at the Southbank Real Food Festival. Great occasion to get closer to these two famous chefs!

9. Finish your day with something sweet at this dessert bar in Shoreditch. A restaurant with only desserts on the menu -  what a dream place, mmh?

10. On Sunday, celebrate May with a real British fête, village style at the Book Club. Town crier, cider, games, Morris Dancers…

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Crunch. Crunch, crunch, crunch. Have you heard of Popchips ? This is a revolution in the snack world. Rather than drowned in oil, these poptato crisps, light and super addictive are instead… popped. Yes, like pop-corn. Which means lots of favours rather than grease and artificial ingredients. It also means a lot less calories -  less than 100! – so a completely guilt free treat. You can now crunch your way to happiness. There are 6 flavours to choose from: original. salt and vinegar, barbeque, Thai sweet chili…

But listen up. Any plans for the bank holiday week-end yet? Non? How about going to the Brighton Food festival? Popchips is offering 2 x two tickets, which can be used on the day of your choice. Oh, and because there is nothing better than a picnic on the beach looking at the Pier, this goes with a month supply of 24 packs of Popchips.How brilliant is that?

How to play?
* Follow us on Facebook or Twitter
* Tell us your favourite Popchips flavour in the comments below.

The lucky winners will be selected at random on Sunday May 05. Click and take a chance!